Assignment: The World

Assignment: The World

Assignment: The World, produced by WXXI Public Broadcasting in conjunction with The Associated Press, returns to the classroom on Thursday, September 13, 2012. Each week, Assignment: The World (ATW) brings the top news stories and current events from around the globe into 4th-8th grade classrooms. ATW host Teej Jenkins guides students through complex issues in an engaging, age-appropriate environment. ATW airs on WXXI-TV/HD (DT21.1/cable 1011/cable 11) on Thursdays and Fridays at 6 a.m., beginning September 13, and on public television stations across the country.

This season continues to feature ATW's interactive components that challenge students to respond to “Clues in the News” and to practice map skills using longitude and latitude coordinates. Students communicate with the producers through responses to the “Question of the Week.”

In 2010 ATW launched “Classroom Viewpoints,” a project designed to engage students and enable them to express their opinions on global issues and current events through video responses recorded in their schools. Applications for teachers and students interested in submitting their own "Classroom Viewpoints" are available on the show's web site. Student videos responses will be posted on ATW’s web site at APTonline.org/Viewpoints, and selected submissions will be used in the national broadcast.

Last season ATW launched Teej’s Travels, where students follow ATW host, Teej Jenkins, on her travels around the world. When Teej travels, coordinates are given on ATW's Facebook and Twitter accounts. Students can then find her location before she posts pictures and facts about where she is. Students and teachers can follow Teej’s Travels on Twitter at #TeejsTravels or by “liking” ATW’s Facebook page.

ATW is a 15-minute program, designed to fit into the structure of a classroom. The series has received numerous awards including a New York State Broadcasters Association Award of Excellence, a Telly, Gold Aurora, and a Wilbur Schramm Award of Excellence.